Exhibit 10.90


 


RUSS BERRIE AND COMPANY, INC.

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Date of Grant:  June 1, 2004


 


In
accordance with the Employment Agreement (the “Employment Agreement”) dated as
of April 9, 2004, between Russ Berrie and Company, Inc., a New Jersey corporation
(together with its successors and assigns, the “Company”) and Andrew R. Gatto
(the “Executive”), the Company does hereby grant to the Executive, as of the
grant date set forth above, a stock option (the “Option”) to purchase an
aggregate of 150,000 shares of its Common Stock (stated value $.10 per share)
(“Shares”) at the price of $19.53 per share (the “Option Price”), upon the
following terms and conditions. 
Capitalized terms used but undefined herein shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in the Employment Agreement.


 


1.                                       (a)                                  This
Option is intended to be a non-qualified stock option.


 


(b)                                 Except as provided in Sections 2 and 4 below,
this Option shall vest and become exercisable ratably over five years (20% per
year) from the Date of Grant and have a term of ten years from the Date of
Grant, provided, however, the term of exercisability of a vested portion of the
Option shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2 below.


 


2.                                       (a)                                  If the employment of the Executive under the
Employment Agreement is terminated by the Company without Cause or by reason of
the Disability of the Executive, or by the Executive for Good Reason, whether
or not in connection with a change in control, or by reason of the Executive’s
death, any outstanding unexercised portion of this Option, whether or not
vested and/or exercisable on the Termination Date, shall be deemed fully vested
and exercisable and may be exercised for two years after the Termination Date
or the remainder of the ten-year term of the Option, whichever period is
shorter.  The “Termination Date” is the
date on which the Executive’s employment under the Employment Agreement ceases.


 


(b)                                 Upon any Change in Control (as defined in the
definition of Good Reason in the Employment Agreement), any outstanding unexercised
portion of this Option, whether or not vested and/or exercisable on the date of
such Change in Control, shall be deemed fully vested and exercisable.  In the event that holders of Shares receive
cash, securities or other property in respect of their Shares in connection
with a Change in Control, the Company shall use reasonable efforts to enable
the Executive (if he so elects) to exercise this Option at a time and in a
fashion that will entitle him to receive in exchange for any Shares thus
acquired the same consideration as is received in such Change in Control by
other holders of Shares.


 


(c)                                  If the employment of the Executive under the
Employment Agreement is terminated by the Company for Cause or by the Executive
without Good Reason, and not due to death or Disability, any outstanding
unexercised unvested portion of this Option will be cancelled and deemed
terminated as of the Termination Date and any unexercised, vested portion of
this Option may be exercised through the earlier of (x) 30 days after the
Termination Date or (y) the 10th anniversary of the Date of Grant.


 


3.               This Option shall be exercised by giving
written notice of exercise to the Company at 111 Bauer Drive, Oakland, NJ  07430 (Attention: Chief Financial Officer)
as follows:


 


(a)                                  Method of Exercise.  In order to exercise this Option in whole or in part, the
Executive shall submit to the Company a writing specifying the whole number of
Shares in respect of which the Option is being exercised and accompanied by
payment in full (or an arrangement for payment in full) in accordance with
Section 3(b) below of the aggregate Option Price of the Shares in respect of
which the Option is being exercised. 
The number of Shares for which the Option has thus been exercised shall
then promptly be issued by the Company (the “Option Shares”) and a certificate
for such Shares shall be promptly delivered to the Executive.


 

















 


(b)                                 Method of Payment.  Payment of the aggregate Option Price for Option Shares may be
made (i) by delivery to the Company of cash or a check to the order of the
Company and backed by sufficient funds in an amount equal to the aggregate
Option Price of such Shares; (ii) to the extent that use of this procedure will
not result in any incremental accounting charges to the Company, by authorizing
the Company to withhold Shares that would otherwise be delivered to the
Executive having an aggregate Market Price on the date of exercise equal to the
aggregate Option Price of the Option Shares; (iii) by delivery to the Company
of Shares then owned by the Executive having an aggregate Market Price on the
date of delivery equal to the aggregate Option Price of the Option Shares; or
(iv) by any combination of (i), (ii) or (iii). 
The Company shall also from time to time make available to the Executive
any “cashless exercise” procedure that it then makes available to other option
holders who are directors and executive officers of the Company.


 


(c)                                  Delivery of Shares in Payment of Option
Price.  Payment by delivery of Shares
may be effected by delivering one or more stock certificates or by otherwise
delivering Shares to the Company’s reasonable satisfaction, in each case
accompanied by such endorsements, stock powers, signature guarantees or other
documents or assurances as may reasonably be required by the Company.  If a certificate or certificates or other
documentation representing Shares in excess of the amount required are
delivered, a certificate (or other satisfactory evidence of ownership)
representing the excess number of Shares shall be returned by the Company.  The Company need not accept fractional
Shares.


 


4.               The number and type of securities (or
other property) subject to this Option, the price to be paid therefor, and the
other terms of this Agreement, shall be subject to adjustment as follows:


 


(a)                                  In the event of any dissolution or
liquidation of the Company, sale of all or substantially all of the assets of
the Company, merger or consolidation of the Company with or into any other
corporation if the Company is the surviving corporation, statutory share
exchange involving capital stock of the Company, reorganization,
recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, extraordinary dividend,
stock split, reverse stock split, stock combination, rights offering, spin-off
or other relevant change, the Committee (as defined in the Company’s 2004 Stock
Option, Restricted and Non-Restricted Stock Plan (the “2004 Plan”)) may adjust
the Option Price of the Option and may make any or all other adjustments deemed
appropriate by the Committee in good faith, including, without limitation,
accelerating the vesting and/or exercise period pertaining to the Option; such
adjustment shall be made on a basis that is no less favorable to the Executive
than the adjustment, if any, made in respect of such event to options held by
persons who are directors and executive officers of the Company is to such
holders.


 


(b)                                 In connection with a Business Combination (as
defined in the 2004 Plan), the Committee (as defined in the 2004 Plan), in its
sole discretion, may provide for (i) the assumption of the Option by a
successor corporation (or a parent or subsidiary thereof), (ii) the
substitution for the Option of new awards covering the stock of a successor
corporation (or a parent or subsidiary thereof), with appropriate adjustments
as to the number and kind of shares and exercise prices, (iii) upon 10 days’
advance notice from the Committee to the Executive, the acceleration of the
vesting and/or exercise period pertaining to the Option or (iv) upon 10 days’
advance notice from the Committee to the Executive, (x) the cancellation of any
outstanding portion of the Option that is then exercisable and the payment to
the holder thereof, in cash or stock, or any combination thereof, of the value
of such portion based upon the price per share of Stock received or to be
received by other stockholders of the Company in connection with the Business
Combination, and (y) the cancellation of the portion of the Option that is not
then exercisable.  In the event of any
continuation, assumption or substitution contemplated by the foregoing clauses,
the Option shall continue in the manner and under the terms so provided.


 


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(c)                                  If, by reason of any adjustment to the Option
pursuant to the provisions described above, the Executive shall be entitled to
new, additional or different shares of stock or securities of the Company or
any other corporation in respect of the Option, such new, additional or
different shares shall thereupon be subject to all of the conditions and
restrictions which were applicable to the Shares subject to the Option prior to
such adjustment.


 


5.               This Option shall not be assignable or
transferable except by will or by the laws of descent or distribution provided,
however, that the Executive may transfer all or any portion of the Option to a
member of his Immediate Family (as defined under the 2004 Plan), a trust for
the benefit of the Executive or any member of his Immediate Family,
partnerships in which the Executive or his Immediate Family members and/or
trusts are the only partners, and/or any organization exempt under Section
501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).  Subject to the provisions of Section 2, this
Option shall be exercisable only by the Executive or his permitted assignee or
transferee.


 


6.               Nothing contained in this Agreement shall
confer upon the Executive any right with respect to continuance of employment
by the Company nor limit in any way the right of the Company to terminate or
modify his employment at any time, with or without Cause.


 


7.               Any determination of the Committee as to
any adjustments pursuant to Section 4 hereof shall be final, conclusive and
binding upon the Executive and any person claiming under or through the
Executive, to the extent made by the Committee in good faith.


 


8.               If the Company is for any reason required
to withhold any amount under the tax laws or regulations of the United States,
any jurisdiction thereof or local government with respect to the transfer of
Option Shares upon exercise of the Option (“Withholding Taxes”), the Executive
or other person receiving such Shares shall be required to pay the Company the
amount of any such Withholding Taxes, such payment to be made in any of the fashions
authorized under Section 3(b) above.


 


9.               The Company shall not be required to
issue or deliver a certificate for Option Shares unless the issuance and
delivery of such certificate complies with all applicable legal requirements
including, without limitation, compliance with the provisions of applicable
state securities laws, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the requirements of
the exchanges, if any, on which the Company’s shares of Common Stock may, at
that time, be listed; provided, however, that the Company shall use reasonable
efforts to satisfy, as promptly as possible, any condition (other than those in
the Executive’s control) that would permit such issuance or delivery.


 


10.         Notwithstanding anything contained herein
to the contrary, in the event that the disposition of Option Shares is not
covered by a then current registration statement under the Securities Act, and
is not otherwise exempt from such registration, such Option Shares shall be
restricted against transfer to the extent required by the Securities Act and
Rule 144 or other regulations thereunder. 
The certificates evidencing any of such Option Shares shall be appropriately
amended or have an appropriate legend placed thereon to reflect their status as
restricted securities as aforesaid.


 


11.         The provisions of Sections 9, 10, 11(A),
12, 14, 16, and 19 of the Employment Agreement shall be deemed incorporated
into this Agreement as if fully set forth herein.  Any claims or disputes arising out of, or relating to, this
Agreement shall be deemed “Disputes” to which Section 11(B) of the Employment
Agreement applies.


 


12.         The Executive shall not be, nor have any
of the rights or privileges of, a stockholder of the Company in respect of any
Shares purchasable upon exercise of the Option granted hereunder unless and
until certificates representing such shares shall have been issued by the
Company.


 


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13.         The Company shall, upon and to the extent
of any written request from the Executive, use reasonable efforts to assure
that all Option Shares shall upon issuance and delivery, be (i) fully
registered (at the Company’s expense) under the Securities Act, for both issuance
and resale, (ii) registered or qualified (at the Company’s expense) under such
state securities laws as the Executive may reasonably request, for issuance and
resale and (iii) listed on a national securities exchange or eligible for sale
on the NASDAQ National Market and that all such shares, upon issuance, shall be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. 
The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available sufficient
Shares to satisfy the requirements of this Agreement and shall pay all original
issue taxes with respect to the issuance of Option Shares upon exercise of the
Option and all other fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith.


 


14.         “Market Price”, when used with respect to
the price of a Share on a particular day, shall mean the closing price for
which a Share is purchased that day (or, if no purchases have been made on such
day, on the most recent preceding day on which such a purchase occurred) on the
principal national securities exchange or national market system on which Shares
are then listed or eligible for sale (or, if Shares are not then listed or
eligible for sale on any such exchange or market system, the price as
determined by agreement between the Parties or, in the absence of such
agreement, the price as determined reasonably, and in good faith, by the
Board).


 


	
   

  	
  RUSS
  BERRIE AND COMPANY, INC.

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  BY:

  	
   /s/ John Wille

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Name:

  	
  John Wille

  
	
   

  	
  Title:

  	
  Vice President and

  Chief Financial Officer

  



 


AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED AS OF THE

DATE OF GRANT SET FORTH ABOVE:




	
  /s/ Andrew Gatto

  	
   

  
	
  ANDREW R. GATTO

  



 


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